LARGO, Fla. — If you’re in Largo using reclaimed water, the city needs you to stop — now.
Largo's Environmental Services Department told city leaders the reclaimed water was not meeting the disinfection criteria put in place to protect people and the environment.
Irvin Kety, Director of the Environmental Services Department explained that the water had high levels of fecal coliform, which is a bacteria that indicates there could be other things growing in the water.
Kety says they test the city's reclaimed water everyday and the samples continued to get worse. They shut down the plant because they aren't meeting the state standard and they don't know why.
"We’ve done everything from the simple things- increased the amount of chlorine. We’ve done that. Didn’t work. We’re required to have a certain amount of chlorine left in the water at the end, raised that up, that didn’t work," said Kety.
On Thursday afternoon, they cut off the reclaimed water supply. By Thursday night they had installed new velocity mixers in the plant to shake up the water so it comes in better contact with the chlorine.
Next, city workers and engineers will try replacing filters.
Kety said, "We have a suspicion that one of the filters isn’t working properly. That is being addressed today. They need to be taken down and cleaned- very tedious. It could take a week to get through it."
Keep in mind, this issue does not impact drinking water in any way. Only about 2,600 people and 150 businesses use Largo's reclaimed water. Reclaimed water, which is recycled water is only intended for irrigation systems should not be used for people or pets.
The fecal bacteria in Largo's reclaimed water makes that all the more important.
" If someone were to put it on their face or eyes, in their mouth, it increases the risk of something. Doesn’t mean you’ll get anything but it increases the risk. It’s best not to do that. Even people who work on their reclaimed water, fixing things, they should wash their hands really well when they’re finished," Kety said.
How should people in Largo care for their lawns in the meantime?
According to Stephen D. Robinson, with the Commercial Horticulture Department of the University of Florida/IFAS Extension in Largo, there are some general concepts for irrigating turf and shrub areas in West Central Florida:
1). During dry periods (November is usually our driest month for rainfall) turf should receive 0.75 inches to 1.00 inches of water every 7-10 days. If that amount is provided in rainfall, then there is most likely no need to irrigate that particular week. Watering should occur on an “as needed basis” and that will depend on temperature, wind, relative humidity and of course the dew point.
2). For turf, it is best for the turf to go into a “slight wilt” before using irrigation to supplement precipitation. The signs of wilt are the folding of the leaf blade and perhaps a slight graying of the turf. When the turf produces this appearance it should be watered with 0.75-inches of water. All residents of West Central must still adhere to the pre-existing SWFWMD watering limitations and the limitations set forth by their municipality.
What other people are reading right now:
- The 'boat graveyard': Why are there more than a dozen old, sunken boats sitting in Tampa Bay?
- Searching for lost graves at MacDill won’t be easy
- Video shows lightning appearing to hit Emirates plane twice
- Family hopes to reconnect with grieving parents who gave their daughter a special ring at Disney
- Utah woman's stepkids saw her topless. She may have to register as a sex offender
FREE 10NEWS APP:
